Minister Of Health Condemns Peddlers Of Fake Medical Results, Threatens To Shut Down Medical Laboratories
Nigeria’s Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire has condemned unethical medical laboratory practitioners that indulge in issuing fake test results.
Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was represented by the Director, Medical Laboratory Services Department of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kingsley Odoabara during a scientific conference and general meeting of the guild held yesterday in Abuja by The Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors.
Dr Osagie threatened to shut the facilities of medical laboratory practitioners that engage in unethical test results.
“This points to the fact that we need to strengthen regulatory control and oversight of operators within the private sector. We must punish people that are bent on tarnishing the image of this profession to serve as deterrent to others.
“The guild has a role to play here because those perpetrating this are your members. What government expects from you is expose the bad ones among you. I am sure when you expose them, the council has the capability to take it up.” he said.
Meanwhile, the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors has called for the development of operational guidelines of health insurance in medical laboratories across Nigeria.
National President of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD), Dr. Elochukwu Adibo speaking at the conference and general meeting of the guild, said this will prepare Nigeria against disease outbreaks.
Inclusion of the laboratories in developing the guidelines of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), will foster members participation, engagement and empowerment, like other private stakeholders and service providers, he added.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, ‘Genomic revolution in healthcare: An untapped goldmine for investors and private sector,’ Adibo said, if properly harnessed, the genomic industry has the capacity to turn around the economic fortune of Nigeria.
Moreover, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Medical laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Dr Tosan Erhabor, said the council has formulated a vigilance system intended for thwarting unprofessional practices and quackery as well as cut off indiscriminate establishment of substandard medical laboratories.
